Floor-sweeping compound.



.products both principles have been em- CHARLES R. CAVE, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

FLOOR-SWEEPING COMPOUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 6, 1907.

Patented J'tine 23, 1908. Serial No. 377,562.

To (1 ll tel/om it "may concern:

Be it lotowathat I, (.nxmans R. CAVE, a citizen of the United States,esiding at the city of lllttl jfth in the county of (look and State ofIllinois, have invented anew and useful improvement in Floor SwecpingCompounds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to. materials for laying and carrying dust in the.process of sweeping and the like; and the object thereof is to produce afloor cleaning compound which shall be. of the highest efficiency inpreventing the raising of dust and in collecting and removing the same,which will not stain or soil the floor or fabrics to which it isapplied, and which will be inexpensive to prepare and simple in theingredients used. I

The efficiency of materials of the class. named has usually dependedeither upon their ability to hold. or absorb moisture which, in turn,collects the dust, as such materials are placed in contact. therewith;or upon the )ower to absorb and hold oily sub stances which perform asimilar function to the moisture .referred'to. In some of such ployed.The amount of moisture or watery substance which may beusod, especiallywhen it depends upon a hygroscopic substance forming a portion of thematerial, varies greatly in amount, causing the material to be uncertainin its action. On the other hand if the action of the compound de )endsupon an oily material, it is very difficult to so proportion the samethat complete cfiioiency will be given without producing an excess ofsuch oily substance, whereby the'matcrial to be cleansed will be soiledor become greasy in the application.

While-I use a certain amount of oil in the compound which is the subjectmatter of my invention, the same is used in so much less a quantitythanthat which represents an allowable maximum, that there is nopossibility of its being imparted to a floor or carpct. But to supplythis deficiency Iadd an amount of viscous or adherent material ofgreater body or less fluidity, sufficient to completelygather. the dust,but which, while acting in connection with the oil, will not soil thematerial,' although added in full amount or used in excess.

In'putting'into effect the principles ofmy invention, I prefer to usesaw dust, which has beenproperly dried, as the fulnlamental absorbentmaterial, taking about thirty pounds thereof by weight for a totalmixture of one hundred and fifty pounds. I prepare the mixture to bepresented to the absorbent by mixing a fixed oil, like paraffin oilpreferably having a specific gravity of between 25 and 26 degrees of theBaum scalc--with the substance known as Vaseline or petrolatmn. Theproportions of these ingredients may vary according to the use to bemade of the product. They may be mixed in the proportions of ten poundsof the oil and ten pounds of yaseline, which will make a product whichwill act without staining unless left for a considerablc time, while theproportion of two pounds of the thinning oil and fifteen pounds ofvaseline will produce a product which will not stain though the contactis indefinitely continued. The Vaseline is stirred into the oil andthoroughly incorporated, using heat if necessary. The mixture is thenput into the saw dust and thoroughly.mingled therewith by any suitablemeans. As supplemental to the action of the saw dust in gathering dustupon it, 1. use for the amount of mixtu re named about eighty pounds ofgranulated slag, that is slag which has been turned while still molteninto water, and thereby caused to take a more or less granular form.After this has been thoroughly dried and reduced by crushing as far asnecessary to a uniform granular structure, it is incorporated with thesaw (lust and by thorough mixing is caused to take up a portion of theoil and petrolatum so that the surface thereof is cov- -e.red with avery thin layer, the same penetrating furthermore into the pores ofsuchr granulated slag. To give additional weight and body, a smallproportion, say twenty pounds of sand, may beaddcd, the sand also actingas a slight abrasive ilicolmection wit it the particles of slag.

In some cases it is desirable to provide. for deodorizing anddisinfecting surfaces to be treated, as well as abstraction of dusttherefrom, and to this end a suitable disinfectant as oil of mirbane,otherwise known as nitrobenzol, oil of eucalyptus or oil of wintergreenmay be added. The substances named in addition to their disinfecting andpurifying properties add an agreeable perfume which will be impartedtothe room after using.

1. in a sweeping compound; the combination with an absorbent ofn 'lixcdil, and petrolatu I n or Vaseline.

2. In a sweeping compound; the combination with an absorbent ofgranulated slag, a fixed oil, and a viscous substanceof greater bodythan said oil 3, In a floor sweeping compound,- the combination with anabsorbent of granulated slag, a fixed oil, and a viscous substance. ofgreater body than said oil.

4. In a floor sweeping compound; the combination of saw dust, granulatedslag, a fixed oil, and petrolatum or Vaseline.

5. Theprocess of preparingaswee ing compound which consists in firstdisso ving petrolatum in a fixed oil, and then taking up the compound soproduced by an absorbent.-

6. In a floor sweeping compound; a composition com osed of' ingredientscombined in substantia ly the following proportions,

30 pounds of sawdust, 17 to 20 pounds of paraflin oil of'the characterdescribed, and

- petrolatu'm in varying proportions, and 80 pounds of granulated slag.

7. In a'fioor sweeping compound; a comosition com osed of ingredientscombined. in substantia y the following proportions,- pounds of sawdust,10 ounds of paraliin oil of the character descri ed, 10 pounds ofpetrolatum, and 80 pounds of granulated slag. Y

8. In a'floor sweeping compound; a composition (omposed of ingredientscombined in substantially'the following proportions;-

30 pounds of sawdust, 17 to 20 pounds of ara'fl'm oil of the characterdescribed, petroatuni in varying proportions, 80 pounds of granulatedslag, and 20pounds of sand.

9. The method of preparing a sweeping compound, which consists indissolving petrolatum in a fixed oil, taking up the compound so producedby an absorbent, and incorporating granulated slag therewith.

10'. The method of preparing a sweeping compound, which consistsin-dissolving petrola'tum in a arafiin oil having the characteristicsdescri ed, taking up the compound so produced by an absorbent, and then'in-.

corporating granulated slag therewith.

11. The method of preparin a sweeping compound, which consists inissolving petrolatum in paraffin oil of the character described to makefrom 17 to 20 pounds of the mixture, taking up the compound by 30 poundsof sawdust, and then incorporating therewith 80 pounds of granulatedslag and 20 pounds of sand.

In witness-whereof, Irhave hereunto setv my hand, this 4th day of JuneA. l). 1907, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

CHARLES R. AVIC. \Vil nesscs:

- ii, CHAMBERLAIN,

A. h. PHILLIPS.

